The Seanchaí
by planless
Summary: "You smell wonderful", he purred, following her when she tensed and started moving back. "Why thank you", she whispered, slowly sidestepping the dining table and moving behind it. Eric propped his large hands onto the cool wood and leaned forward until his nose almost touched hers. "What are you?", he asked, emphasising each word and stressing them until she looked ready to bolt.
1. Rosalie

Rosalie checked her hair in the small mirror hanging above the porcelain basin. Her dark curls were pulled up into a messy bun, a few shorter strands escaping the loosely tied hairknot and dancing around her face playfully.

For some moments, she looked at her reflection, pondering, then she applied more mascara to her long, thick lashes and and removed the lipstick applied with so much care a few minutes earlier.

In her opinion, heavy eyeliner and lipstick did not go well together.

After she was done with her makeup and loosening her bun a little bit, she batted her lashes at the woman in the mirror mischievously. Then she smoothed out some wrinkles in her new red dress and made sure her hair covered her slightly pointed ears.

After some more time staring at her reflection, she removed the platinum torque clasped aroud her neck with a heavy sigh. Reluctant to remove the necklace, she ran the tips of her fingers along the fine lines engraved in the smoothe surface and over the finely shaped dragons' heads in a gentle caress. Only a few seconds and she already missed the light pressure of the torque usually resting against her throat.

But it couldn't be helped. With another sigh, she placed the necklace on the small glassboard beneath the mirror and turned to leave the tiny bathroom.

She slipped on the black high heels sitting next to the bathroomdoor as if waiting for her and bent over to tie the soft ribbons around her ankles. When she straightened up again, she was a full five inches taller than before.

"Hoyt, honey", she called out while stepping into the living room. With a few large steps, she approached the man sitting on the couch, watching some sort of vampire documetation on TV.

She took a look at his swollen, red eyes and knew he had been crying again. He always did this in his sleep, crying out for some Jessica, and Rosalie had to admit, it was rather annoying having to endure his emotional breakdowns caused by some ex-girlfriend every few hours.

So she was more than relieved she had the opportunity to actually leave for the night and enjoy herself.

"I'm leaving for the evening", she told Hoyt, who was still staring at the flat screen with blank eyes.

"You know the procedure. If anybody comes over, don't let them in. Tell them, you're still heartbroken and in no mood to go out or have company in any way. And do not mention me. _Ever_."

She stressed the last word to get her point across. Hoyt only nodded, still not looking at her.

"Good. I'm going to borrow your car, since you obviously won't need it tonight. You okay with that?"

Again, his only reaction was a nod. Rosalie smiled an patted the glamoured man on the head.

"Good boy", she crooned, and, picking up the keys, went for the door.

When she stepped outside, a light breeze caught in the flaring hem of her dress and made it swirl around her knees playfully. Smiling, Rosalie drew in a deep breath of the chilly night air and locked the door behind her before entering the truck and starting the engine. If she was lucky, this night would turn out a lot more interesting than the last ones.

* * *

Sheriff Eric Northman was bored. Extremely. The beat pulsing through the thick, hot air in the Fangtasia bar and Yvetta swaying her hips on her pole right before him did nothing to lighten his broody mood, they only served to annoy him further.

With an icy glare he scared away a sweating fangbanger who had come too near, while his thoughts drifted off to Sookie. Again. He felt her contentment through the faint bond they shared thanks to his blood and pictured her, sitting on her couch, cuddled up against that obnoxious vampire Bill, who still kept declaring her his every time he and Eric met, despite all the things that had happened.

When Sookie had finally returned from wherever she may have been a week before, he had felt it immediately. Their bond, which had been lying dormant for over a year, suddenly flared to life and made his whole body tingle. He had been tossing around in his bed until sunset finally came, and the moment the last rays of light had disappeared, he had sped off to see her.

But unfortunally, now-king-of-Louisiana-vampire Bill had reached her first. Of course. He was always first.

Eric involuntarily bared his fangs at no one in particular, which resulted in some gaping fangbangers hastily retreating.

Back then Sookie had told them she needed time to think it all over, and it seemed that after a week she finally had decided to forgive Compton. Sookie really was a social type of person and the only reason she was reluctant to be around people was her telepathy – in his opinion reason enough to be a bit of a lone wolf.

Speaking of wolf. Maybe Sookie wasn't with Bill? Maybe she was with that stinking were guy who seemed to follow her around wherever she went. He wasn't always there, but would show up eventually. Since Sookie's return, he had been particularly nosy.

Eric growled softly. He would have to remember to-

"Eric."

Pam's voice over the loud music in the club suddenly caught his attention. Scowling, he retreated his still bared fangs and was about to face her, when a faint smell washed over him.

Before he even knew it, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, suddenly very far away. At first it smelled like sun and rainwashed rocks, but there was another note clinging to it, and the more of the scent he drew in the stronger it became. It was something he couldn't quite figure out, and it was taking him away, reminding him of times long gone, while everything around him slowly dissolved.

Eric found himself taken back in time, back to the point when nature was still pure and untouched of all human pollution.

It smelled like the sea, like a warm breeze coming from far over the ocean, carrying with it the smell of storms and salty water, wispering quiet promises of adventures and endless freedom into his ears.

He found himself standing on a cliff, the wind brushing through his hair and the waving water beneath him. It felt strangely familiar.

Once again, Pam interrupted his train of thoughts. "Eric, are you listening?"

Her slightly annoyed voice snapped him out of whatever trance he was in, and suddenly he found himself back into reality. Back in the Fangtasia bar with it's hammering music, flashing lights and stinking people.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at Pam. She stood in front of him, a sceptical look on her face. Once again he inhaled the fresh scent that was still in the air around him, now mingling with the stench of sweating humans.

He inclined his head slightly, indicating for his child to speak. Pam only jerked her chin over her right shoulder. Eric's eyes followed the direction of her movement.

He slowly lifted his left eyebrow while taking in the sight of the woman standing next to Pam. She wore a striking red dress, which hugged her upper body in a rather attracting manner, only to flare out at her hips with the hem dancing around her knees playfully.

A dark red ribbon was tied skillfully around her waist to show off it's slimness. Her five inch heels accented her shapely long legs and she seemd to have no trouble holdig her balance.

He would never understand how women managed to actually walk in such murderous footwear.

Her brown hair was pulled up into a messy bun, a few curls dangling around her face, and she seemed to be intently watching Yvetta dancing around the pole next to her.

Pam nudged her in the side with an ellboy and then turned around to return to her place at the entrance.

Eric second eyebrow joined his first one when the woman turned her face in his direction and he was met with the most stunning eyes he had ever seen. They were an incredibly intense, icy blue and seemed to look right into his soul.

He recognized the scent he had smelled as hers as she sweeped a small curtsy and a wave of seemingly fresh air washed over him. His nostrils flared. Involuntarily, his fangs klicked into place.

The female vampire cocked her head and looked at him with her piercing gaze. "Sheriff Northman?", she asked somewhat tentatively.

Eric inclined his head and motioned for her to move forward without taking his eyes off her. She quietly followed his request and climbed up the few stairs leading to his throne.

Feeling a little bit curious, Eric looked her up and down before nodding his head towards the chair sitting right next to his. The woman smiled faintly and curtsied again. Then she took a seat at his side.

As she moved her scent seemed to intensify and his fangs started to throb gently. Once again, he found himself reminded of endless blue oceans, when he felt a sudden pang of loss in his chest.

Her rustling skirts over the beat of the music directed his attention back to her. The way she was sitting next to him, back straight, hands folded in her lap made him think of the old times when kings were reigning over the countries and lustrous balls were held.

She seemed to be well mannered. A rare trait in these days.

Her blue eyes were fixed on his face when Eric decided to speak.

"So", he began, watching her intently. "What can I do for you tonight?"

A small smile spread across her finely shaped lips as she inclined her head to him.

"I was told, you were the sheriff of this area, so I decided I probably should introduce myself to you. I hope, I am not imposing on any of your plans for the evening?" She lifted one eyebrow questioningly.

Eric finally managed to retreat his fangs and let his gaze roam through the bar. "Certainly not. In fact, you have spared me a very long, very boring night, so your presence is most welcome."

He was surprised how easily he had adjusted to the outdated manners she displayed, although his answer felt a bit rusty. Her smile widened a fraction at his words.

"I am relived to hear that I can be of service to you, Mr. Norhman."

While she spoke he recognized her dazzling white teeth which seemed to be razor-sharp. It only served to spark his curiosity.

Deciding he wanted to know more about her, he flashed her a brief smile.

"Where are you from, Miss..." He stopped at this, making a meaningful pause.

"Oh dear, where are my manners!", she exclaimed, throwing him an apologizing look. Then she held out her hand to him.

"You may call me Rosalie."

Taking her slender hand into his own, Eric shot her an amused smile. "No second name?", he inquired mockingly before softly brushing his lips over her knuckles.

Instantly, he had to think of Sookie and felt a twinge of guilt but shoved it down hastily. It was not as if he was doing anything forbidden.

Rosalie hesitated for a split second and he almost missed it. "No second name", she then agreed and let her hand fall back into her lap.

Eric rose an eyebrow but decided to let it slip for the moment. "I have never seen you around before. Are you staying or just passing by?", he asked.

The brown haired vampire shook her head, her curls daicing around her face. "I have moved to this area a week before and have only now heard of this exceptional establishment." She looked around approvingly.

"May I ask where you have lived before?"

"For the last few years, I have been running a small buisness in Bavaria, but originally I am from Ireland."

"Bavaria, huh?", Eric stated with an approving nod. "A country most certainly worth living in. It has some kind of rustical charme to it and the air smells fresher than in most places."

Rosalie seemed surprised. "You have been to Germany? I would have guessed you were more the local type of vampire."

At this, Eric smiled wistfully.

"I am now but used to be the oppisite before becoming sheriff of Area 5, Lady Rosalie. Sometimes I find myselft missing the old days. Travelling the world was indeed very enjoyable."

She looked at him for a moment with those incredible eyes, then turned to let her gaze sweep over the dancing crowd in front of them.

"So what keeps you here, if you do not mind me asking?", she wanted to know. "For some reason I am sure it is not this club, as remarkable as it may be. Your duty as a sheriff? A local love unwilling to leave with you, maybe?"

The last question was more of a joke than a serious inquiry, yet Eric flinched inwardly at how close she was to the truth. But there was no way he was going to tell her about Sookie, so he simply decided to take advantage of the first explanation she had offered.

"I have only been sheriff in Area 5 for ten years, Lady Rosalie. As the oldest vampire around I feel somewhat honorbound to remain in office for at least another decade."

Rosalie nodded, considering his answer, while her eyes fixed themselves on Yvetta once again.

"May I ask how old you are, Sheriff Northman?", she asked cautiously. "As I am living in this area from now on, I would want to know who I am dealing with."

Eric shot her an amused glance. "I am over a thousand years old, my lady."

He saw her eyes widen a fraction, a small gasp escaping her throat. Se looked at him incredulously.

"You are almost twice my age!", she exclaimed before covering her mouth with both her hands.  
"Excuse me, Mr. Northman", she said apologetically. "I did not mean to be rude, but sometimes my temper gets away from me."

Eric nodded dismissingly and had to think of Sookie. That girl too let her temper get the best out of her. Hell, she even had slapped once! Rosalie's voice ripped him out of his thoughts.

"I have no intention of being nosy, Mr. Northman, but where are you from originally?"

Eric looked at her icy blue eyes and cocked his head. "Have a guess, Lady", he suggested mysteriously. For some reasom he didn't quite understand he kept referring to her as 'Lady Rosalie'.

He didn't know why, but it seemed fitting, given the light twinge of nostalgia her scent had awoken in him.

Rosalie laid a finger against her cheek and looked at him scrutinizingly.  
"I'd say, based on your tall body structure, your blond hair and blue eyes, you are from Northern Europe." She made a small, humming sound. "Somewhere near the sea, so maybe Finland?"

Eric was surprised. "Almost", he admitted. "I am from Sweden. But how did you figure it out?"

Rosalie smiled and leaned slightly towards him. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and said:

"You smell like the sea. Like cool air on a sunny day at the beach. You..."

She sighed wistfully and looked at him. "You smell wonderful."

For some moments, she held his piercing gaze before actually blushing a little bit – Eric had never seen a blushing vampire before – and looking away.

Suddenly, she exclaimed "Oh" and straightened up.

"I forgot, I initially came here to feed. Would you mind...?" She let the question ring out and Eric shook his head.

"Take whatever you need, the club is at your disposal", he stated, then cocked his head, pondering.

Rosalie was about to rise and go get her meal, when Eric's voice held her back.

"Would you mind joining me for dinner, Lady Rosalie? I would like to get to know you better."

She seemed to think about the offer for a while, then suddenly her fangs clicked into place and she smiled at him.

"You are the kind of sheriff who wants to know what is going on in his area. I like that." She looked at him thoughtfully and then added:  
"And I think I might like you, so I gratefully accept your invitation."

Before Eric could think of anything else besides what Sookie would say to this vampire, Rosalie stood up straight on her five inch heels and took a good look at Yvetta who was about to climb down from her pole, obviously to get something to drink.

"Is that woman available?", the blue eyed vampire asked Eric without really looking at him. The sheriff of Area 5 shrugged lazily and waved for Pam to bring him some True Blood.

"Suit yourself", he said and watched as a smile spread over her face. For a probably five hundred years old vampire, she seemed to smile quite a lot.

"Why thank you", she said, dipping into a small curtsey in front of him. Eric felt his fangs klicking into place when her scent washed over him.

Rosalie flashed him a brief smile, then turned on her heels and made her way over to Yvetta who was leaning against the bar, downing a shot of vodka.

Eric watched her talking to the slightly smaller vampire in the red dress, downing another shot and nodding.

He saw her hesitating when Rosalie offered her her hand, but after a short moment she took it and followed her through the dancing crowd, back to where Eric was still seated on his throne.

He lost them when a group of rather tall people crossed their way and Pam chose exactly this moment to put down two bottles of True Blood on his armrest.

He gave her a short nod and opened up one of them. The smell of synthetic blood hit his sensitive nose and he growled in displeasure, wishing for the umpteenth time Sookie was here.

A moment later, a smiling Rosalie appeared in front of him, a very willing looking Yvetta in tow. Rosalie curtsied in front of him before taking a seat and motioning for the pole dancer to sit at her feet.

Eric forced himself to take a sip of his True Blood. The blue eyed woman threw him a knowing glance when she noticed his distorted mouth, but didn't say anything. She just took a gentle hold of Yvetta's wrist and smiled at her reassuringly, before sinking her dazzling white fangs into her sweaty skin.

"Where are you staying?", Eric asked once Rosalie had finished her meal and sent off Yvetta.

"Currently I am staying at a glamoured human's house at Bon Temps since I don't have anywhere else to go. However, I am looking for an appartment here in Shreveport to rent." She threw him a glance.

"You wouldn't happen to know of one, would you?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Do I look like a letting agent to you?", he asked with false anger in his voice.

"Indeed", Rosalie shot back at him, but before he could say anything, she added: "However you look more like the devious type of agent, the ones who sell you the cheapest house for for the highest amount of money."

Eric smiled at her mischievously. "Well, that's a very precise description of my character, Lady Rosalie. You seem to be very observant."

The vampire took his hidden compliment with a small smile and inclined her head.

"However, I may have just what you need. As you are new in this area and probably don't know anybody yet, I am willing to help you finding a place to stay. One of the vampires in Shreveport moved away recently, you may have his appartment. Just give Pamela your numbers so she can contact you once everything is settled."

Rosalie looked at him frowning, a small dip appearing in the space between her eyebrows.

"Shouldn't I get to see my future home at least once before moving in?"

The smile he flashed her was one of pure challenge. It had nothing reassuring to it. The message was clear: Come and try me.

Rosalie watched him carefully before nodding. "Very well. Then I shall return to my current home to gather my belongings."

She rose gracefully and curtsied once again. "If you don't mind me, Sheriff Northman, I will take my leave now."

Eric simply nodded and watched her swirl around – the sudden movement sent a wave of her scent in his direction. While she decended the stairs, heading for the exit, he inhaled deeply, feeling the throbbing of his fangs.

Angrily, he shook his head and downed the bottle of True Blood he had been neglecting for the past few minutes. He almosted spat it out.

When he was sure Rosalie had left, he rose from his chair, making his was through the crowd over to Pam, splitting the mass of people like Moses the read sea.

"Has she given you her number?", he asked his child once he reached her side. As an answer Pam only fished a piece of paper from her cleavage and gave it to him.

Eric looked at it and typed the number into his cellphone before handing it back to her.

"Call her the night after tomorrow and tell her to come by with her belongings. And kick out Rufus from that attic apartment across the street."

Pam looked surprised. "Why?", she asked.

"We're going to have a new neighbour", Eric stated omniously. He winked at her, then he made his was out of the bar and sped off to meet Sookie.

* * *

**AN.:**_Hello everyone. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of my new fanfiction!_

_While it is not my first fanfic, it definitely is my first English story, since I'm actually from Germany._

_If you find any mistakes in grammar/spelling/whatnot please feel free to tell me._

_About the story: There will be a slight messing with the timeline. The actual plot takes place a week after Sookie's return from Fairy._

_Nothing has happened so far and it was a surprisingly uneventful seven days for the True-Blood-Crew, just so you know._

_I will probably stick to the mainstory, but I'm not sure about that yet._

_None of the mentioned characters are mine, except Rosalie. _

_What a pity._


	2. Your smell wonderful

Shortly before arriving at Sookie's, Eric felt a sudden surge of anger sweeping through their bond. Cautiously, he approached the house, checking for any signs of danger.

There were none, except for a few scents marking the area, one of them being his own. The others belonged to Sookie, her brother, obnoxious Bill Compton and his child – this one was fresh – and the were who seemed to always stick around lately. He would have to pay a visit to Alcide later, he mused. If he tried really hard, he could also catch a faint wiff of Pam.

Wondering when his child had ever come here, he stepped onto the porch after making sure everything was clear. The old wooden planks were creaking under his weight, but the sound was barely audible over the voices coming from the open window.

"-just rude! Seriously, I've never even once met a vampire with decent manners!", he heard Sookie. She sounded upset.

"What about Bill?" Eric recognized the voice. It belonged to Compton's child, that red haired teenage girl. Jessica, if he was right. Well, that was a surprise. He hadn't seen her since he had sent her back to Bill.

Sookie's answer made him grin. "Well, he sure as hell acts like he has manners, but he doesn't." Her clipped tone made it obvious she was still angry with her former lover. The knowledge sent a tingling shot of satisfaction through him.

So the new king of Louisiana hadn't tried anything with her yet. Good.

"That's not nice. He still loves you, Sookie, and you know it!", Jessica replied.

"I don't care, Jess. I just.. Can't. So please, leave it alone."

There was a short silence, followed by an exasperated sigh. "Okay. But what should I do about this other vampire?"

Without making a sound, Eric stepped to the window and peered onto the living room. Sookie was sitting on the couch, her back facing him, the red haired vampire next to her.

Neither of the women seemed to notice him, so he propped his ellbows on the windowsill and stood to listen.

"Why don't you just kick him out? I mean, you're a vampire, too", Sookie suggested. Jessica raised an eyebrow at her.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Judging by the smell, he is several hundred years older than me. I couldn't do anything against him."

Sookie seemed to consider that for a moment. "Then ask B- ... Your maker." The way Sookie stumbled over her ex's name made Eric grin even wider.

"Hello! Did you even listen to me?!" Jessica threw up her hands in an exasperated motion. "I said several hundred years! He could beat me and he sure as hell could beat Bill!"

There was a pause in which neither of them seemed to know what to say, until Sookie spoke up.

"You know, I ain't exactly strong either." Her dry remark seemed to drip off of Jessica like water of a waxed jacket. Instead, she looked at Sookie exitedly.

"Yes, but you know people who are!", she whispered.

Sookie stiffened. "Jessica...", she started, but the redhead cut her off.

"Sookie, please! I know what this must look like! I know I broke up with Hoyt and it's not that I would want to start a relationship with him again, but I still have feelings for him. I don't want him hurt and anywhere near that vampire. I can't make him leave but you..." She trailed off.

"Jess", Sookie groaned. "Jess, please, I can't ask him to do that! You know what he's like, he won't do anything unless I pay him somehow. And knowing Eric I probalby won't like the price. I just can't ask him."

Jessica sat quiet, her eyes fixed on Sookie's face unwaveringly. She seemed to be in deep thoughts.

This was the moment Eric decided to make his presence known.

"Did I just hear my name?", he purred, grinning when both women whipped around to stare at the open window. "Eric", Sookie breathed, her brown eyes wide with surprise.

"Good evening, ladies", the blond vampire greeted with a wicked grin, then leapt through the window into the livong room in one fluid motion.

In an instant, Sookie was on her feet while Jessica remained seated, watching the whole scenery carefully. "What are you doing here?", Sookie almost snapped. Eric took in her tensed shoulders, narrowed eyes and slightly twitching fingers. All in all she reminded him of a fluffed up kitten baring her fangs at a panther.

"Well", he drawled. "I obviously came here because I wanted to see you." He looked her deep in the eye and appeared all smug when she blushed heavily. Then he turned to Jessica and continued as if nothing had happened.

"But I see you've got a visitor, so I will take my leave now."

"I- I can leave!", Jessica offered and rose from the couch. "You don't have to-"

Eric held up a hand to stop her. "It's okay, I don't mind." Actually, he did mind, but he wasn't going to tell her that. He glanced at his watch. "It'll be dawn in a few hours anyway. I'll just go close up the Fangtasia." Shoving his hands in his pockets, he started his way towards the main door.

"Have a good night", he said over his shoulder. He could feel the sudden tension in the room and the silence - only broken by the sound his deliberatly slow steps on the floor - was almost unbearable.

In his head, he counted the seconds.

_Two._

Nothing happened.

_Three._

A small breeze made it's was through the open window, caressing his bare shoulders shown off by his black wife beater. He hadn't bothered with a jacket. Another step forward.

_Four. _

Another.

_Five. Six._

He entered the hallway and – seven – made his way to the door in three large steps.

_Eight._

He prepared to speed off.

_Nine -_

_"Wait!"_

Eric grinned, but hid it quickly when he turned around to face Sookie who stood in the middle of the hallway, her arms hugging her upper body as if she was trying to comfort herself. Oh, he would do that for her, if only she let him...

"What is it?", he asked in a seemingly uninterested voice, violently shoving down the unwanted visions of Sookie in his bed.

He leaned heavily against the doorframe and watched her curiously. She was so predictable in some ways, but then again you never really knew what she would do next. She was a walking mystery.

Sookie shifted her weight from one foot to the other a few times before she actually managed to speak.

"Look, I-" She hesitated, shook her head and quared her shoulders. "I have a favour to ask of you."

Eric lifted one lazy eyebrow at her statement, cocking his head to the side.

"I'm intrigued", he muttered and shot her a heated glare. She blushed, but continued talking.

"Look, there's some vampire staying over at Hoyt's. You know, Jessicas ex?"

Eric rolled his head, his spine cracking, and said, "I fail to see how I should know him. Care to enlighten me? Anyway, you should know better than most people I am not interested in any human." Sookie frowned.

"What about me?"

"By now you should have accepted the fact that you are something more than human, and definitely not _any_ human to me." It could have sounded like a compliment but his clipped tone made clear it was more of a fact.

"Oh."

Thrown of course, Sookie started playing with her hair. Eric watched her twirl the silky strands around her fingers for some time, then rolled his eyes.

"So, what did you want me to do for you?" Startled, Sookie let go of her hair and cleared her throat.

"Right. So, this vampire staying at Hoyt's house. Jessica wants him gone, but he seems to be several hundred years older than her, so she asked me to ask you to do it."

She nervously licked her lower lip and Eric found himself drawn in by it. "So will you do it?"

Eric looked her straight in the eye, seemingly mulling it over before answering. "I don't do favours."

Sookie tensed. The unspoken words hung in the air between then. She gulped, took a deep breath and then shot him an angry glare.  
"What do you want?", she snapped, surprising him with her bold attitude. Eric nodded ponderingly.

"You know there is only one thing from you I would want."

Sookie opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it. "You won't give it to me now but I know, and so do you, you will do so eventually." She shook her head while he continued.

"So I will look into the matter, knowing you will pay your debt sooner or later." He pushed of the doorpost and turned to leave.

He shot her a last glance over his shoulder. "Probably sooner than later."

With that, he sped of and didn't even wait for her to thank him.

* * *

Her scent was _everywhere. _This divine, refreshing scent. It clung to every fucking item he came across, and it left him restless. The whole place was practically screaming her name, a faint smell like the ocean radiating from everything she had ever touched.

Eric took a deep breath, savouring the images it sparked in front of his inner eye while he absently peered through the window. Lately, it seemed that he had done a lot of peeping.

Shaking his head, he observed the human sitting on the couch, watching TV. He hadn't reacted neither to Eric ringing the doorbell nor to his persistent knocking on the slightly ajar window. Stupid human.

A soft growl emitted from deep down in his chest, but was soon replaced by the sound of a roaring car engine.

He turned just in time to see an old truck turning around the corner of the street, the bright lights blinding him for a moment. He squinted his eyes and instinctively stepped into the shadow of the doorframe.

It didn't take long for the truck to pull into the driveway; the engine stopped and soon after that, the driver's door swung open. It revealed two feet clad in black stilettoes.

Eric watched as Rosalie hopped out of the car and slammed the door shut behind her, then made her way towards the front door without bothering to lock up the truck.

She stopped right next to him without giving away if she had acknowledged his presence or not. He frowned at her while she fumbled with the keys, searching for the right one. She was so near, the only thing he had to do was lift his hand and he could touch her.

He leaned in a little bit to catch her scent and she still didn't react. Deciding to have a little fun, Eric let his face hover just over her neck and blew a soft breath on her white skin.

"_**Gaah!**_" With a loud scream, Rosalie jumed two feet in the air, whipping around as she did so, her set of keys falling to the ground with a soft clang. Eric's eyebrows rose in utter surprise. He hadn't expected _that_ kind of reaction.

"Lady Rosalie", he greeted, ignoring the emotions bubbling up in his belly when her scent hit him. "What a nice evening", he continued when she didn't make any attempt to speak. She just stared at him big-eyed, which made him actually think about her reaction. It was strange. He had never,_ ever_ seen a vampire being taken by surprise before, it was simply impossible.

Their naturally sharp senses helped them staying alert even when they relaxed. So Rosalie's reaction was completely unexpected.

He looked her over, then bent down to pick up the keys. "I believe, these belong to you?", he said somewhat amused and held them out to her. When she made no attempt to take them but just continued staring at him he unlocked the door and pushed it open for her.

"After you", he teased and waved her inside. Now she did move: With a few small steps she was inside the house - and well out of his reach, he noticed.

Once she was inside she turned to look at him, still a bit shaken.

"Mr. Northman", she mumbled with a small nodd. She dipped into a curtsey when Eric held up his hand.  
"Don't", he commanded. "It makes me feel old." Looking a bit confused, Rosalie nodded before closing her eyes. She took a deep breath.

"Excuse me for a moment, Sheriff. I just... need a second..." With that, she closed the door, leaving Eric to stand in the dark – literally.

He stared at the wooden surface in front of him. No one, _no one –_ except maybe Sookie – had ever dared to slam a door in his face. Anger bubbled up inside of him, but before it could take root, the door reopened and revealed the very calm looking, composed Rosalie he had met earlier the night.

"Mr. Northman", she said, smiling shyly. "Excuse my behaviour, but your visit really took me by surprise." He only rose an eyebrow in response.

"So, what can I help you with?" Eric looked around the dark driveway meaningfully.

"Would it be too much trouble to invite me in? I'd rather discuss this somewhere more private."

Hesitating, Rosalie bit her lip. " I don't..." She met his challenging expression and suddenly threw her hands into the air, frustrated.

"Oh, for God's sake!", she exclaimed, practically scowling. "Wait a minute." Then she spun around and disappeared into the room with the human in it.

Eric waited patiently, leaning against the white painted doorframe. Pondering over her unexpected reaction, he listened to the voices coming from the living room. When she finally poked her head around the corner, he cocked his head questioningly.

"You can enter", she told him. "Hoyt has invited you in."

Nodding, Eric stepped over the threshold and followed her into the room. Shooting Hoyt a disdainful glare, Rosalie stepped over to turn off the TV and turned to look at the human.

"Would you mind going to bed?", she asked bluntly. Hoyt lifted his head, slowly, his hazy gaze becoming clear. Suddenly, he bolted upright. His eyed focused on Rosalie and were practically blazing.  
"Fuckin' vampire! Just get the fuck out of my house already!", he shouted. Then, he stormed off without really noticing the other vampire in the room.

"He's very... expressive", Eric stated dryly while plopping down on the couch. Sighing, Rosalie sat down at the other end of the sofa.

"He doesn't like the fact I am staying here, but since he knows I will leave as soon as possible, he refrains from rescinding his invitation."

"Why don't you just glamour him?"

"Oh, I did. But only when I left tonight. It's the only way to make sure he won't talk about me to anybody. Before I first entered, I argued with him until he invited me in willingly." She smiled.

"Sometimes the whole damsel in distress-thing comes in really handy. His emotions are a bit unstable when vampires are concerned though I don't know why this is."

Eric rubbed his chin thoughtfully at her words, knowing the answer, then looked at her.

"I've been asked to make sure you leave this rather... Sorry household and move somewhere else", he stated without any further preamble. Taken aback by his blunt statement, Rosalie blinked, but soon managed to hide the surprise showing on her features.

"May I know who asked this of you?" Eric hesitated, then inclined his head.

"A friend." When she looked at him incredulously, he added, "Of the human."

She sighed and closed her eyes, her hands absently smoothing out some wrinkles in her skirt. "Well, I think there's nothing I can do about it, can I?" Eric shot her an amused glance.

"Your appartement will be ready in two nights. Until then, it should be okay for you to remain here as long as you don't harm the human." He looked her over. "Did you feed of him?"

"I didn't", Rosalie immediately answered. She scrunched her nose. "I would never feed of such a whiny man."

A tiny chuckle escaped Erics throat. "You certainly have good taste."

Rosalie smiled slightly at the compliment. "So I've been told."

Eric was about to say something, when suddenly the window he had knocked on before slammed open with a loud bang, the curtains fluttering in a cool blast of air.

With a surprised sound, Rosalie jumped up and hurried through the room, shutting the window hastily. While readjusting the curtains, she peered into the dark sky.

"Looks like there's a storm coming", she stated, absently rubbing her left ellbow. Eric wasn't listening.

When the wind had blown through the room, he had shut his eyes as her scent washed over him with an almost suffocating intensity and inhaled as much of it as he could.

Now he revelled in the feelings it awoke in his body, his thoughts very far away. A soft growl rumbled in his chest and when he opened his eyes again, Rosalie stood in front of him, clutching her left ellbow and looking at him worriedly.

"Are you alright?", she asked. He ignored her and leaned towards her instead, taking a deep breath. Eyeing him suspiciously, Rosalie took a cautious step back.

Eric froze, savouring the way she smelled, then rose up to loom over her.

"You smell wonderful", he purred, following her when she tensed and started moving back.

"Why thank you", she whispered, slowly sidestepping the small dining table and moving behind it. Eric propped his large hands onto the cool wood and leaned forward until his nose almost touched hers.

"What are you?" The question came out as a deep growl, agitating her further.

A soft tremble ran through her body, her muscles tensed and he could see her pupils dilating. The black in her eyes spread out rapidly until there was only a slim rim of blue left. She shivered again.

"Mr. Northman, would you mind retreating?", Rosalie breathed. She didn't dare move.

"Yes", Eric replied and stared her directly in the eye. "I would. _What. Are. You?_", he repeated, emphasising each word and stressing them until she looked ready to bolt. Her almost black eyes darted through the room in a state near panic. Eric had seen that look before.

She was searching for an escape route, but he sure as hell wouldn't give her one. Not until she had answered his questions.

When neither of them moved for a minute, Rosalie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He watched her forcibly unclenching her muscles which were quivering with tension.

"Please, follow me", she muttered hoarsely, then cleared her throat. "I'd like to show you something."

Eric considered her words for a moment before he straightened up. Looking down at her with a cocked eyebrow he motioned for her to go ahead. Running her slightly shaking hands over her brown hair, Rosalie turned around, her pupils retreating as she slowly calmed down.

He followed her through the house and waited by the door as she entered the bathroom. When she emerged a few seconds later, she held a silvery chocker necklace in her hands. Eric stared at her.

"You can touch silver?", he asked, for once taken by utter surprise.

Shaking her head softly, Rosalie held the trinket out for him to take it.

"Sadly no", she stated, and when he didn't move, she elaborated. "It's platinum. However, it is very special. Take it."

Eyeing her suspicously, he grabbed the necklace, feeling a tad of relief when he didn't feel any of the burning silver always caused. He lifted the trinket and studied it more closely. It was a torques, he now realised, the main part consisting of three thick, corded platinum strands.

He let his fingertips run over the spiraled metal and felt a pang of melancholia. He turned it around to look at the dragons' heads attached to the ends of the torc. They were shaped very similar, both being carved with utter care. He could see every detail etched into the shiny metal, from the tiny scales to the spiraled horns protruding from the back of their heads.

However, there were a few differences: The left dragon's jaws were opened wide, the creature looking as if it was about to roar, trying to intimidate his counterpart, which had its fangs bared and seemed to growl. Its eyes were made of small blue gems, probably topaz, while the roaring one's were of striking green diopside.

The whole necklace looked beautiful and reminded him very much of the old times when he was still human. Almost every man who could afford it had worn a torques, if not more than one. They were common trinkets, and if made of cheap material very easy to afford.

This one, however, looked frightfully expensive.

"Where did you get this?", he asked, tearing his eyes away from the necklace and handing it back to Rosalie who was watching him.

"I did not steal it, if this is what you're getting at", she answered drily, turning the torc around in her fingers. Eric looked at her, now feeling curious.

"Now why did you want me to see it?"

She hesitated, then moved closer to him. "You would probably be able to smell it from the distance, but it's more definite when I am close to you." Eric rose a suggestive eyebrow and she scowled at him. "Do not get this the wrong way!", she chided, before turning around. She was so close that her back brushed over Eric's chest when he inhaled deeply.

With her five inch heels, the top of her head was on the same level as his eyes. Her soft curls tickled at his chin, her scent invaded his senses.

Feeling somewhat high with the source of the addicting smell so close to him, Eric leaned to the side to see what Rosalie was doing.

Bending up the torques with vampire strength, she clasped the chocker necklace around her slender neck and pressed down to return it to its original shape.

As soon as the two dragons touched the skin on each side of her throat, her scent seemed to dull until there was only a very faint note of seawater remaining.

Eric's eyes widened in surprise. Ignoring the twinge of regret he felt when her smell vanished he roughly grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. Sniffing the air, he leaned in, almost buried his face in the crook of her neck, but everything he could catch was the faint reminder of the ocean and a soft note of metall.

"You probably haven't noticed", Rosalie started out. "But when I was frightened earlier my scent grew stronger. It tends to happen when I am nervous." Eric turned his head to the side and watched the dragons moving slightly against her throat as she spoke. Rosalie looked over his shoulder without really seeing anything.

"I've always been a bit of a scaredy cat, so it is more of a bother than anything. The necklace is subduing my scent so I can actually move around without standing out." She gulped.

"What kind of magic is this?", Eric murmured. He let his hands slide down her arms and straightened up. Rosalie focused her icy blue eyes on his face while stepping back to create a modest amount of space between them.

"I got this from a Wiccan priest, back then when I was living in Ireland." She clutched her left ellbow and frowned. "He crafted it specifically for me. I didn't want it to look this pretty, or be of this much worth, but he said the more effort he'd put into making it, the stronger the spell would become. And god knows, in his opinion I needed the strongest spell possible."

Her eyes were all hazy when her thoughts raced back in time.

"He could have made it less extraordinary, but the price I had to pay would have been the same. He liked to create trinkets and stuff, I think it was a hobby..."

She trailed off, and after a few moments of silence resumed talking. Her voice suddenly had a somewhat dreamy touch to it; it became softer and her almost whispered words drew Eric in.

"When I first met him, it was really creepy. He was sitting there, in this rundown hut, and didn't look the least surprised when I entered. Hanging down from the rafters were all kinds of things: blacksmith's tools, dried plants, rope made of grass and leather, bags full with stuff I could only guess what it was good for. There was a very small bed alongside one of the walls. Roughly crafted from splintery planks, there was a thick layer of straw serving as a matress and on it several very soft looking furs. I don't know where he got them or what animals they belonged to and back then I really didn't care.

"Along the other walls, there were many shelves and small desks, ingredients, food and tools such as knives, reaping hooks and hammers scattered on their surfaces. In one corner, there was a small pile of many different metal bars. Now as I think back, I think he kept a bit of everything in his hut: there was gold, silver, bronze, platinum..." Her fingers ghosted over her torc in an almost affectionate caress.

"Sitting next to the door there was a knapsack full of stuff I didn't recognize, a pair of silver chains strapped to the left and some wooden stakes strapped to the right side of it. Back then I didn't know what their purpose was. Later it became clear he used it to defend himself against other vampires.

"In the middle of the room there was a small fireplace, a cast-iron pot hanging above the fire. He was standing behind it, stirring something. I didn't want to know what it was. When I stepped into the hut, he looked up and stared me directly in the eye. His gaze was fierce and aloof at the same time. It scared me and I wanted to retreat, but then he smiled... He didn't greet me, didn't ask how I was doing, just wanted to know what exactly I came for. It was almost like he had been waiting for me. I told him what I wanted, and he named his price. I agreed to pay it.

"And I did."

Eric supressed a frustrated sigh when she went silent again. She was a splendid storyteller from what he could tell by now, she had even managed to spike his interest with her short talk.

Now she stopped at the most thrilling part and left him hunger for more. He wouldn't have that.

"What was the price?", he inquired cautiously, trying not to shock her out of her thoughts.

Blinking a few times, Rosalie managed to jerk herself out of the flashback she had obviously been stuck in, and looked directly at him.

Her gaze now was cold and aloof, her shoulders squared. When she finally gave her answer, Eric blinked in surprise.

"My humanity."

* * *

Heyho readers!

I'm back with a new chapter in tow! Hope you like it.

So now I've changed the title three times, and still I'm not sure this one will be permanent - although I like it pretty much.

A _**seanchaí/seanachie**_ is a traditional Irish storyteller, and since I like to have Rosalie talk more easygoing, that's the perfect job for her. And, given my non-existent constructiveness concering the title and my addiction to fairytales, it's quite a good name for the story.

For those of you who don't know what a _**torques**_ is:_ A **torc**, also spelled **torq** or** torque**, is a large, usually rigid, neck ring** typically made from strands of metal twisted together.** The great majority are open-ended at the front, although many seem designed for **near-permanent wear** and would have been difficult to remove. Smaller torcs worn around the wrist are called bracelets instead. Torcs are found in the Scythian, Illyrian, Thracian, Celtic, and other cultures of the European Iron Age from around the 8th century BC to the 3rd century AD. The Celtic torc disappears in the Migration Period, but during the **Viking Age** torc-style metal necklaces came back into fashion.  
_

_(Thank you, wikipedia.) _

So, Rosalie's torc is open-ended, but I think the description is pretty informative. If there are any questions, do not hesitate to ask!

If there are any mistakes in grammar, spelling, storyline, whatever, please let me know! I'm trying to improve my English, so I'd like you to point out my mistakes if it's not too much trouble. I think there are a few parts that didn't turn out as well as planned...

Anyway!

I'll start writing the next chapter tomorrow. It should be easier now, since I have actually figured out a plot. :D

Salutations and lots of love,

planless

P.S.: If you absolutely can't imagine what Rosalie's torques looks like, you could just message me and I'd sketch it out for you and upload it on my deviantart account.


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